Average rates vs National Average

Cellphone/Texting

Utah

Explained

Hand-Held Cell Phone Ban:

No

All Cell Phone Use Ban for Novice Drivers:

Yes

Drivers under the age of 18 cannot use a cell phone at all while driving.

Texting Ban:

Yes

In Utah, text messaging is banned for all drivers.

DUI Laws

Utah

Explained

The legal limit for a blood alcohol concentration (BAC):

0.08

The legal limit for a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) while driving is 0.08. It is a crime to drive with a BAC at this number or above it.

Increased penalty for high BAC:

0.16

There's an increased penalty for drivers with a BAC of 0.16 or above.

1st offense Suspension:

120 days

Administrative license suspension on the 1st offense: In Utah, law enforcers can confiscate a first-time offender's driver's license for 120 days if he or she exceeds the legal limit.

Ignition Interlocks:

Mandatory for all offenders

These are devices installed in the cars of convicted drunk drivers, which analyze the breath or the driver before starting the vehicle and disable the ignition if alcohol is detected. Utah made the installation of ignition interlocks mandatory for all offenders.

Repeat Offenders:

Yes

Minimum penalties for repeat offenders include suspension of driving privileges for at least one year, impoundment or immobilization of offender's vehicles, or the installation of ignition interlocks to all vehicles owned by the offender, mandatory alcohol assessment and treatment, and imprisonment or community service for a second-time offender. Third-time and further offenders can see longer imprisonment or community service sentences.

Open Container Law:

Yes

No driver or passenger can have any bottle, can, jar or other receptacle containing any alcohol that has been opened, the seal broken, or with partial contents removed in his or her possession or in any area of the vehicle where it would be easily accessible by the driver or passengers.

Graduated Drivers License

Utah

Explained

Learner Stage:

(Supervised driving, to be completed with a driving test): At 15 years of age, individuals can begin driving with supervision for a period lasting a minimum of six months. In this stage, the new drivers are required to get 40 hours of supervised driving, 10 of which need to be at night.

Intermediate Stage:

(Some limits are applied to unsupervised drivers in high-risk situations): Drivers who passed the driver's test at 16 are now unsupervised drivers in the intermediate stage. These drivers are not allowed to drive between the hours of midnight and 5am and cannot drive with any passengers for the first six months.

Full Privilege Age:

Age: 17

(Full driver's license): At the age of 17, Utah drivers can now get a standard driver's license without any restrictions. At the age of 16 and six months, there are no more passenger restrictions.